Last month a member of the Laurel community told Laurel School Board members he is coming for their jobs after it decided to reinstate Dr. Shawn Larrimore as the district’s superintendent. Larrimore defended the school board during the October meeting last Wednesday.
“What’s going on in this school district in the past year is pathetic,” Thomas Turnbaugh said during public comment at the September meeting. He said he plans to run against board member Jana Pugh, whose term ends next year, because she is the first board member who will come up for election.
“Sometimes secrecy is not avoidance. Their silence is a sign of compliance not complicity,” Larrimore said of the board during his remarks at last week’s meeting. He added that the board had to comply with privacy laws and could not discuss what transpired prior to Larrimore’s reinstatement, but he could. “I can share what they can not.”
Larrimore said he received an addendum to his contract on May 15 after being arrested for DUI. It stated that he would not be terminated until July 1.
Larrimore added that he was given until July 1 to meet the following conditions to be considered for reinstatement: Seek alcohol treatment, get anger management treatment, and take 60 sick days to do this (the equivalent of $20,000 in retirement money). It was also stated that any further alcohol charge with just cause would result in his dismissal.
He said he attended 13 hours of Alcoholics Anonymous from May 17 through June 28 and still goes to meetings. Larrimore said he also took eight hours of anger management in Salisbury, went to outpatient treatment for four half days and took part in a DUI first time offenders program for 16 hours.
“If you don’t think evil can’t reach out and touch your family, touch you, you’re kidding yourself,” said Larrimore, who added that he has not had alcohol since May 11, reads devotionals and the Bible, and attends church.
“I realize there are still people are not going to be happy with this. Are we concerned with growth or are we concerned with grudges?” he continued. “You’ve got a decision to make when something like that happens in your life, you can let it break you or you can let it make you and I prefer to believe that I was broken and blessed all in the same night.”
Larrimore commended the board for its work and thanked board members. “I thank the Laurel board of education for their belief in me and their belief in the power of redemption. I won’t let you down,” said Larrimore.
Prior to Larrimore’s remarks, Turnbaugh was allowed three minutes to speak during the public comment portion of the meeting. He told the board about state code and that the public can review financial records and correspondence.
“They represent us. He (Larrimore) didn’t put them in office, we did,” Turnbaugh said of the board members.
He also stated that his daughter asked to have a basket bingo and was not allowed to because its gambling. Turnbaugh said holding 50-50 raffles at sporting events is also gambling.
District employee Donna Ward also spoke during public comment. “I watch all the negative stuff on Facebook and it just eats me up inside. There’s nobody I’d rather have on my side than these people up here (board),” said Ward. “I’m on the inside. It’s easy to look from the outside and judge people and believe we are doing it wrong.”
Some of the board members also spoke of the situation during their comments.
“I can not believe we are experiencing what we are experiencing,” Vice President Sabrina Isler said. “Laurel School District is about moving forward on a positive note. We (school board members) don’t get paid for this. I do this for my heart.”
“I want to thank each board member for wanting to be on the school board,” said Board President Linda Hitchens. “It’s not an easy job.”
Larrimore announced that he and Director of Finance Laura Horsey will address the county re-assessment and make projections on its impact during the January meeting.
The board also approved the second reading of a Weapon Detection Screening Program policy. The district’s homecoming parade will take place this Friday and festivities and the homecoming game will be held on Saturday.
The next school board meeting will take place on Nov. 20 at 7 p.m.